Burwood Heights Activity Centre including Former Brickworks Site

Burwood Heights is a Major Activity Centre under Plan Melbourne 2017 - 2050, the Victorian Government’s metropolitan planning strategy released in May 2017.

Key sites in the Activity Centre include:

the 20.5 hectare former brickworks site on Middleborough Road, now owned by Frasers Property Australia);

the RSPCA site at the corner of Middleborough Road and Burwood Highway; and

the Burwood Heights Shopping Centre.

Overview

Burwood Heights Activity Centre Structure Plan

The Burwood Heights Activity Centre Structure Plan was prepared to guide future development and improvement of Burwood Heights. It established a vision for the Burwood Heights Activity Centre which was developed through consultation and reflects the aspirations of the community, Council and of other stakeholders.

In August 2006, Council adopted the Burwood Heights Activity Centre Structure Plan, completing a major milestone for the Activity Centre. The Structure Plan was finalised after review of community feedback on the Draft Plan in February 2006. The Victorian Government contributed funding to preparation of the Structure Plan.

The Structure Plan has since formed the basis of local planning policies in the Whitehorse Planning Scheme for the Activity Centre. More specific and detailed planning has been carried out for the former Brickworks Site (refer below).

Former Brickworks Site – 78 Middleborough Road, Burwood East

The 20.5ha Former Brickworks site near the north-east corner of Burwood Highway and Middleborough Road is a key site within the Burwood Heights Activity Centre.

The current land owner Frasers Property Australia has been actively pursuing its vision to develop the site for a mix of uses including a diversity of housing, a shopping centre, open spaces, new roads, pathways and other associated infrastructure. Scroll down this page to see:

The overall Development Plan for the site prepared by Frasers Property was first approved by Council in July 2016 and endorsed in February 2018.

In October 2018 Frasers Property proposed changes to the Development Plan to add entertainment-related uses, such as a cinema, to the mix of potential uses in the retail centre. The changes also updated demographic information and the economic impact assessment, and affected the following documents:

Development Plan Report

Integrated Transport Plan

Economic Impact Assessment

Retail Design Report

The updated Development Plan was on display for community comment from 15 – 29 October 2018. Council considered the community’s feedback and approved the changes to the Development Plan on 10 December 2018.

The approved Development Plan is used to guide the development of the Former Brickworks and can be accessed below:

Significant Planning Permits – Former Brickworks Site

Next steps involve planning permit applications for different stages of the development which will be assessed against the approved Development Plan and the Whitehorse Planning Scheme. Below is a list of the significant Planning Permits issued for the site to date:

Planning Permit No.

Approval Date

Description

WH/2016/141

29/9/2016

Subdivision into three large lots

WH/2016/267

23/2/2017

Subdivision to create land for a future ‘Link road’ between Burwood Highway and Middleborough Road.

WH/2016/415

24/2/2017

Creation of three new intersections to Middleborough Road and Burwood Highway.

WH/2016/1179

7/4/2017

Subdivision of future development parcel at corner of Middleborough Road and proposed Link Road. Site for sales/display office site.

WH/2016/473

26/3/2018

Subdivision of larger parcels on Eley Road in preparation for their further subdivision into residential lots.

WH/2016/1154

27/3/2018

Subdivision of land fronting Eley Road into 16 residential lots.

WH/2016/1199

6/4/2018

Development of a new signalised intersection on Middleborough Road and an upgraded intersection on Burwood Highway for the proposed link road. Retaining wall to access road next to the RSPCA north boundary.

WH/1016/1143

26/4/2018

Apartment Buildings 1 and 2 (six storey) adjoining the proposed Urban Plaza, with a total of 137 one and two bedroom dwellings.

WH/2016/1206

23/5/2018

Shopping Centre development fronting Middleborough Road.

WH/2017/330

6/7/2018

Residential aged care and retirement village development fronting Burwood Highway.

WH/2017/52

13/7/2018

Staged subdivision and development of 85 medium density dwellings.

WH/2016/1173

17/8/2018

Apartment Building 3 (six storey) adjoining the proposed Urban Plaza, with a total of 60 one and two bedroom dwellings.

WH/2017/117

23/10/2018

Apartment Building 4 (six storey) adjoining the proposed Urban Plaza, with a total of 70 one and two bedroom dwellings and food and drink premises on the ground floor.

The project commenced in mid-2018 starting with construction of the shopping centre and associated infrastructure. The full site development is expected to be completed by 2025.

Planning Chronology

The following table summarises the key planning processes that have occurred in the Burwood East Activity Centre and in particular for the Former Brickworks site.

DATE

MILESTONE

2004 - 2006

Council prepared a Structure Plan for Burwood Heights, identified as a Major Activity Centre in Melbourne 2030 (the former strategy for metropolitan Melbourne). The Structure Plan involved significant input from the community throughout the process.

Alongside Council’s Structure Planning process, the previous owners of the Former Brickworks site (Reading Properties) prepared a Framework Plan for major redevelopment of the site. The Framework Plan was endorsed by Council on 18 July 2005 and was the basis of subsequent planning scheme Amendment C63.

23 February 2006

Amendment C63 was approved by the Minister for Planning and rezoned the former Brickworks site to the Priority Development Zone, incorporating the Former Brickworks Site Framework Plan, 13 July 2005 and the Former Brickworks Site Building Height Plan, 13 July 2005, and various policy changes including new interim local policies for the Burwood Heights Activity Centre and for the Former Brickworks Site. Find out more about the Amendment here.

21 August 2006

Council adopted the Burwood Heights Activity Centre Structure Plan June 2006, after review of community feedback on the Draft Plan in February 2006.

18 February 2008

After consulting the community, Council approved an overall Development Plan for the Former Brickworks site as required under the planning controls, subject to conditions. This Development Plan was later endorsed on 27 November 2008. Follow link to Council Report (415.81kB).

1 October 2009

Amendment C92 approved a number of changes relating to the Burwood Height Major Activity Centre, such as replacing interim local planning policies for the Burwood Heights Major Activity Centre (Clause 22.13) and the Former Brickworks Site (Clause 22.14) with updated permanent policies consistent with the findings of the adopted Burwood Heights Activity Centre Structure Plan June 2006. Find out more about the Amendment here.

May 2014

Australand purchased the Former Brickworks site from Reading Properties and commence a new planning process for the site.

20 October 2014

Council resolved to consult the community on Australand’s Burwood East Draft Masterplan and Urban Design Report and draft planning controls for the Former Brickworks site.

Australand’s Burwood East Draft Masterplan and Urban Design Report and draft planning controls for the Former Brickworks site are placed on display for community comment.

27 January 2015

The Council adopted the updated draft Burwood East Master Plan and Urban Design Report, January 2015 and resolved to support Australand’s request to the Minister for Planning to rezone the Former Brickworks Site to Residential Growth Zone, General Residential Zone and Commercial 1 Zone, update associated local policies and to apply a Development Plan Overlay to the site.